Each period lasts for 20 minutes with a 17 minute period break in between

“In the National Hockey League, between stoppages of play, teams have 18 seconds (five seconds for the visiting team, eight seconds for the home team, five seconds to line up at the faceoff location) to substitute their players, except during TV timeouts.” [x]

TV Time outs are 2 minutes long and occur 3 times per period (In the NHL)

There are 6 players allowed on the ice per team at one time (1 LW, 1 Center, 1 RW, 2 D-men and 1 goalie)

A shutout is when a goalie doesn’t allow any goals in during a game. For example the score could be 3-0

A shootout is a way to break the tie after 5 minutes of overtime.
Each team names three shooters. If the game remains tied after the three shooters are done, teams continue shooting in “sudden death” mode. The game cannot end until each team has taken the same number of shots. [x]

GW = Game-winning goals. After the final score has been determined, the goal which leaves the winning team one goal ahead of its opponent is the game-winning goal (example: if Team A beats Team B 8-3, the player scoring the fourth goal for Team A receives credit for the game-winning goal). Note: Goals scored during a shootout are not credited as game-winning goals.

W = Wins.A goaltender receives a win if he is on the ice when his team scores the game-winning goal.

L = Losses. A goaltender receives a loss if he is on the ice when the opposing team scores the game-winning goal.

OT = Overtime or shootout losses. As of the 2005-06 NHL season, a goalie is credited with an “OT” if he is on the ice when the opposing team scores the game-winning goal in overtime or during a shootout.

SO =Shutouts. If two goaltenders combine for a shutout, neither receives credit for the shutout. Instead it is recorded as a team shutout.If a regular season game is tied 0-0 at the end of overtime, both goaltenders are credited with a shutout, regardless of how many goals are scored in the shootout.

Team/League Stats:

A team’s stats are determined by their Win-Loss-Loss in Overtime record. For example: a team could be 12-5-4. That team would have 12 wins, 5 losses and 4 losses in overtime.

A team’s points are determined by their Win-Loss-Loss in Overtime record. Continuing on with the previous example, the team would have 28 points. Multiply the team’s winning record by 2 and add it to their OT loss record. (one point awarded for a loss in overtime) 24+4=28

An empty net goal occurs when a team scores a goal into a net with no goaltender present. This usually occurs in one of two different occasions:Usually in about the last two minutes of a game, if a team is within two goals, they will often pull the goalie, leaving the net defenseless, for an extra attacker, in order to have a better chance of scoring to either tie or get within one goal. If the team with the lead gets control of the puck they will often shoot at the net after clearing center ice. It is less common for a team to shoot from their own zone at an empty net because icing could occur if the shooter misses the net. Sometimes a team will pull their goalie when they are on a two-man advantage, even if not nearing the end of the game. With the team then gaining an advantage of six skaters to three, this will increase even further the chances of the team scoring. [x]

A goal is scored when the puck passes entirely across the red line painted between the goal posts and below the crossbar. A goal may be disallowed under the following circumstances:

the scoring team takes a penalty (except if the other team accidentally puts the puck into its own net untouched by the team to be penalized);

the puck is directed in by an attacker’s high stick (above the crossbar), or when the puck has been directed, batted, thrown or kicked into the net by an attacking player other than with a stick (angling one’s skate so the puck deflects off it into the goal is allowed).

goaltender interference (which can also result in a penalty)

the puck goes in after the Referee intends to stop play (e.g. the net has been dislodged)

the puck deflects off a referee or linesman and goes directly into the goal (exception to the rule that a puck hitting a referee or a linesman is still live)

a goal was allowed at the other end (this can happen if a video review clarifies a goal scored prior)

DO NOT EVER PARTICIPATE IN MEAN GOALIE CHANTS IT IS VERY RUDE (remember: love thy goalie)

The maximum number of players on an NHL roster is 23.

The diameter of a hockey puck is three inches (ooh fun fact :D )

Regulation hockey nets are six feet wide and four feet tall.

82 games are played per team in one season (NHL)

There are 30 teams in the NHL and they are divided into two conferences: The Eastern and Western Conferences

There are 16 teams in the Eastern Conference

There are 14 teams in the Western Conference

The NHL regular season starts in October and ends in early April

DON’T EVER CALL SOMEONE A PUCK SLUT/PUCK BUNNY. RESPECT ALL FANS!!

I know it’s a lot to take in, but hopefully you learned a little something about the sport. Remember: everyone has to start somewhere, you’ll catch on soon! Please feel free to add on to this list as I might have forgotten something!

“It was very intentional,” said Rapinoe. “It was a little nod to
Kaepernick and everything that he’s standing for right now. I think it’s
actually pretty disgusting the way he was treated and the way that a
lot of the media has covered it and made it about something that it
absolutely isn’t. We need to have a more thoughtful, two-sided
conversation about racial issues in this country.

“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and
not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I
could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and
hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it. It’s important
to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We
don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support
of them is something that’s really powerful.”

I feel like a lot of people don’t talk about how white the USWNT has
been for the most part throughout their history. A lot of that has to do
with the pay to play system but I’ll leave that issue for another day.
Anyways - I say all that because it was really nice to see Rapinoe show
support for Kaepernick and understand that while she can’t relate to Kaepernick on race, she can still show her support as an ally. Although Pinoe has faced her own struggles as an
out athlete, it’s important that white people who call themselves
allies actually use their fame and power to point out issues like
racism, police brutality, white supremacy, etc. So again, good for
Pinoe.

There’s going to be a little girl somewhere in the world who will hear about the NWHL.
She’ll buy the jersey, go the games and watch these women with the same doe eyes than the boys with Rangers blue or Hawks red. They’ll see these women and see themselves rather than seeing something they cannot be. Girls who so loves this game but never had a future with the game like her brothers or cousins or uncles or classmates now have a chance and that’s the most beautiful part of this league.

“What do you want to do when you grow up?”
“I want to be a hockey player.”
And she can.